Hong Kong Customs and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (March 6) urged members of the public to stop using three types of whitening creams containing excessive mercury. Hong Kong Customs detained 2,880 boxes of regulated mercury-added whitening creams with an estimated market value of about $63,000 at Hong Kong International Airport on August 27, 2025. The proprietor of the company that imported the batch of whitening creams was charged by the EPD with importing regulated mercury-added products and was fined $10,000 at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on March 2. Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected an air consignment declared as face cream arriving from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, via Singapore to Hong Kong on August 27, 2025. Upon inspection, a total of 2,880 boxes of the three types of regulated mercury-added whitening creams were detected. The case was handed over to the EPD for follow-up action. The EPD sent the samples of the creams to the Government Laboratory for testing, and it was revealed that the mercury content in the three whitening cream products reached 24,000 parts per million, 25,000 ppm and 28,000 ppm respectively. According to the Mercury Control Ordinance (MCO) (Cap. 640), cosmetics with mercury content exceeding 1 ppm is regulated mercury-added products. The three types of whitening creams contravened the MCO. As a result, the EPD initiated prosecution against the related offenders. Customs and the EPD remind members of the public that under the MCO, any person importing, exporting, manufacturing or supplying regulated mercury-added products commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year upon conviction. According to medical advice, chronic exposure to mercury can cause damage to the nervous system and kidneys. Symptoms may include tremors, irritability, insomnia, memory deterioration, concentration difficulty, impaired hearing and vision, and changes in taste function. In severe cases, renal failure may occur. Customs and the EPD remind members of the public to observe the following tips when purchasing and using cosmetic products: Do not buy or use cosmetic products of unknown composition or from doubtful sources; Stop using the cosmetic products and seek medical attention immediately if feeling unwell after use; and Purchase cosmetic products at reputable retail shops.